The US Air Force has shown a serious effort to go green, but much work remains

A
new Pew Charitable Trusts report reveals the United States Air Force
has reduced energy consumption over the past six years by 20 percent,
as the military looks to continue going green.

"The
military's reliance on fossil fuels compromises
combat effectiveness by restricting mobility, flexibility
and endurance on the battlefield," according to the new report,
as government officials work with private contractors.

Going
green is a popular initiative in the U.S. government at the moment,
especially among Air Force officials who are interested in developing
alternative fuel sources. Since the Air Force uses more energy
and natural resources than the other branches, there has been an even
higher urgency for fuel efficiency and eco-conscious projects.

In
addition to heavily researching biofuels and
green spy planes, the Air Force also is developing solar farms,
wind turbines, and power plants at airbases in select locations.
There also are 37 airbases that have renewable energy sources
partially powering bases, with the overall number of bases expected
to increase.

The Air Force recently performed a successful
test flight of an A-10 fighter jet with a mix of 50/50 jet fuel and
camelina weed mix.

Military officials and lawmakers plan to
work with other contractors to help spur new green projects for use
by the military. The U.S. Army has
given EnerDel a contract to make a hybrid Humvee battery, as
Army officials also look at various ways to make greener
vehicles.

Even though the military is testing biofuels,
numerous trials must be conducted before the new fuels will be used
during live missions.

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